Gonzales is toast

His testimony yesterday was just awful. He was supposed to clarify his role the US Attorney firings but ended up using the “I don’t recall” escape hatch seventy one times. At one point Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) looked so frustrated with the Attorney General, I thought he might throw his mic at him.

Coburn and Sessions, two of the most conservative Senators out there, called for his resignation.
"It is generous to say the attorney general's communications about this matter have been inconsistent," Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., told Gonzales in a packed hearing room Thursday.

"The consequence should be the resignation of the attorney general."

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said in an interview after the hearing, "There are some problems that he just hasn't handled well, and it might just be best if he came to a conclusion that the department is better served if he's not there."

Lindsey Graham pretty much called him a liar.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called most of Gonzales' explanations "a stretch."

"It's clear to me that some of these people just had personality conflicts with people in your office or the White House and (they) just made up reasons to fire them," Graham said. "You have a tremendous credibility problem with the American people and the Congress."

I don’t see how he can carry on much longer. Bush has two reasons to keep him on. First, Alberto is covering for Rove. As long as the heat is on Gonzales, it is not on Rove. Second, I think the Administration does not want to have a confirmation hearing with a Democratic Senate. Given W’s propensity to pick either an incompetent or a lunatic, Mr. 30 Percent Approval Rating would get his ass kicked for weeks.